1 39 SUSTAINABILITY NEWS & TOPICS Edition 3 1 HY 2020 Photo by: Ahmed Ehab Egyptian calligrapher preaches message of optimism.
1 39
SUSTAINABILITYN E W S amp T O P I C S
Edition 31 HY 2020
Phot
o by
Ah
med
Eh
ab
Egyptian calligrapher preachesmessage of optimism
Disclaimer
This edition of Sustainability News amp Topics publication is an outline of ALEXBANKrsquos sustainable business and operations While ALEXBANK has made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this publication is accountable and accurate all information and performance indicated in this
publication is historical past performance is not an assurance of future results
All Intellectual Property Rights associated with this publication are proprietary
For further information
Please visit the ALEXBANK Website
Call 19033 to reach our contact center Send an email to CSRalexbankcom
Laila Hosny
Head of CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
Lailahosnyalexbankcom
Amina Khalil
Head of Social Performance amp Reporting Unit
Aminakhalilalexbankcom
Farah Sadek
Junior Social Performance amp Reporting Officer
Farahsadekalexbankcom
Introduction
Ghalya
1 Introducing ldquoGhalyardquo An Initiative by Women for Women
2 Celebrating International Womenrsquos Day
3 Launching ldquoBagaweetrdquo for Red Sea Crafts
Our Response to COVID-19
4 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Goes Digital in Response to COVID-19
5 ALEXBANK Joins the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos ldquoDoing Goodrdquo
Challenge
6 Alleviating Pressure on National Hospitals Equipping the
ldquoUmberto Irdquo Italian Hospital Intensive Care Unit
7 Our Community ndash Support via Awareness Creation
8 A Guide to Financing for the Creative Industries
Microloans amp Beyond
Gifts with Impact
9 The Line Between Corporate amp Impact with ldquoKhotootrdquo
10 Mending Broken Hearts One Cookie at a Time
11 The ldquoAshryrdquo Behind Our Ramadan Tradition
12 Ramadanrsquos One-Click Wish
Notable Events
13 ALEXBANK Attends the Egypt Network for Integrated
Developmentrsquos First ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo
Gala
14 Dialogue on Partnerships in the Private Sector
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian People
Program Closing Ceremony
15 Weaving Asyutrsquos Carpet Industry Together The Abu Teeg
Closing Ceremony
16 Forsa Bazaar The Chance Everyone Deserves
Sustainable Finance for Development
17 The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan Initiative Egyptrsquos First
Handicrafts Microloan in Action
18 Promoting Inclusivity in Egyptrsquos Financial Sector
19 ALEXBANK x ENACTUS A Partnership for Financial
Inclusion Research amp Innovative Solutions
Environmental amp Social Responsibility
20 World Water Day Water Efficiency for Water Security
21 Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day
22 Environmental amp Social Risk Training Within ALEXBANK
23 Rules for Donations in ALEXBANK An Anchored
Approach Towards Community Development
Page
05
07
09
11
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
25
26
27
28
29
31
33
34
35
36
37
38
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dear Readers
We are thrilled to be introducing edition three of our very own Sus-tainability News amp Topics
Despite the growing challenges that have risen as a direct result of COVID-19 we are happy to report the ALEXBANK community just as Intesa Sanpaolo Group is just as committed to establishing an inclusive financial industry strengthening discourse surround-ing the environmental matters that directly contribute our health as a global community and highlighting the valuable role Egyptian women play both in the handicrafts industry and society
In the past six months ALEXBANK has taken numerous measures to instigate social progress celebrate employees and make wom-en feel valued through the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo an initiative that aims to equip and empower women to achieve success through art capacity building and education In fact in the past three years alone the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has supported over 10000 women access the tools they need to take control of their future
If this edition is indicative of anything it is the incredible work be-ing undertaken by our partners staff and volunteers to establish a support system that can be sustained As we remain aligned with our parent company Intesa Sanapolo we continue to closely mon-itor the developments of the virus and transparently report on our initiatives in our upcoming 2019 Sustainability Report we will con-tinue assembling the cornerstones of shared value creation
Sincerely
Laila HosnyHead of CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
ALEXBANK
THIS EDITION OF SUSTAINABILITY NEWS amp TOPICS AN OVERVIEW
5 39
INTRODUCING ldquoGHALYArdquoAN INITIATIVE BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN
In 2018 the World Bank Reported that nearly 15
of Egyptian households are female headed Beyond
households the value of Egyptian women can be
felt in the arts academia science and the economy
To celebrate Egyptian women ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office launched ldquoGhalyardquo
(which translates to ldquovaluablerdquo) set to support and
empower Egyptian women across different fields
reach their full potential
In celebration of International Womenrsquos Day and
Egyptian Womenrsquos Day which take place on March
8th and March 16th respectively ALEXBANK launched
ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office Head Laila Hosni being recognized for launching ldquoGhalyardquo
Made by Baddara
ldquoGhalyardquo at the 35th Women Economic Forum under the auspices of Present Abdelfattah El Sisi Moreover
the National Council for Women and their national women empowerment initiative ldquoTaarsquo Marboutardquo were
featured as the main supporter of the event and initiative alike
The Women Economic Forum is a multinational forum dedicated to enabling women from diverse
backgrounds to expand their business and networking opportunities as well as strengthen discourse
surrounding women in the workforce
To accompany the launch of the initiative ALEXBANK provided bags giveaways and lanyards to all guests
created by women through the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos longstanding partnership with
Baddara a female-led handicrafts business in New Valley and Dahshour as well as El Fayrouz an enterprise
run by the resilient women of Sinai
6 39
Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK is committing to
provide Egyptian women from multiple industries
with the necessary support to become leaders
in their field The initiative comes as a natural
progression from its previous and ongoing efforts
to empower marginalized women through projects
and initiatives such as ldquoCombatting Early Marriagerdquo
in Manial Shiha in collaboration with Appropriate
Communication Techniques ldquoImproving the Living
Conditions of Children in Street Situationsrdquo in
collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development and Banati Foundation supporting
and partnering with female led enterprises such as
Doodle Factory a female-lead Egyptian brand that
inclusively empowers children through utilizing
their creativity to fund medical educational and
shelter needs of the children as well as Tawasol
Egypt NGO seeking to support two community and
educational development projects in Istabl Antar
and Rommana for Development NGO Workshop for
training and employment of more than 20 women in
Mokattam area in greater Cairo
At ALEXBANK we are eager to move forward with
the expansion of ldquoGhalyardquo recognizing the crucial
role women play in our institution and how valuable
they are to society ldquoGhalyardquo at the Women Economic Forum
ALEXBANK CEO Dante Campioni attending the Women Economic Forum
ldquoFor years ALEXBANK has been dedicating resources to support women and highlight their
important role within the Egyptian community Launching Ghalya at a such a monumental
event sets this initiative apart and sets a benchmark for the future of women initiatives in the
private sectorrdquo Maya Morsy President of the National Council for Women
ldquoWe remain grateful to ALEXBANK for partnering with Annual WEF Egypt 2020 and for
supporting the women artisans of Egypt with their ldquoGhalyardquo initiative enabling economic and
cultural enrichment for not just Egypt but for bringing the best of Egyptian arts and crafts to
the attention of the world This inspired us to launch SHEconomy a global e-marketplace for
women entrepreneurs from across the world and notably Egyptrdquo Harbeen Arora Founder of
Women Economic Forum
7 39
International Womenrsquos Day is an annual event that
takes place on the 8th of March to celebrate women and
generate dialogue on gender equality As an institution
that values its female workforce and promotes female
empowerment through its newly launched CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office initiative ldquoGhalyardquo
ALEXBANK chose to celebrate the day with the women
driving the Bankrsquos successes
In partnership with Egyptrsquos female led social enterprise
The Doodle Factory 2400 female staff were presented
with a ldquoGhalyardquo gift box Each box included an espresso
set a notebook coasters and a scarf or cardholder
inspired by the doodles of at-risk children Proceeds
from the gift box have been redirected to support
over 10000 children with liver diseases through the
purchasing of intensive care monitors for the Yassin
Abdel Gaafar Charity Center for Liver Diseases
The ldquoGhalyardquo inspired gift is one of many ways in
which the Bank highlights its appreciation to its
female staff who have been leading pioneers in the
evolution of ALEXBANK Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK
looks forward to enabling more women to realize their
potential and achieve wider successes
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENrsquoS DAY
Promoting creativity in children
The ldquoGhalyardquo Womenrsquos Day kit
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
Disclaimer
This edition of Sustainability News amp Topics publication is an outline of ALEXBANKrsquos sustainable business and operations While ALEXBANK has made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this publication is accountable and accurate all information and performance indicated in this
publication is historical past performance is not an assurance of future results
All Intellectual Property Rights associated with this publication are proprietary
For further information
Please visit the ALEXBANK Website
Call 19033 to reach our contact center Send an email to CSRalexbankcom
Laila Hosny
Head of CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
Lailahosnyalexbankcom
Amina Khalil
Head of Social Performance amp Reporting Unit
Aminakhalilalexbankcom
Farah Sadek
Junior Social Performance amp Reporting Officer
Farahsadekalexbankcom
Introduction
Ghalya
1 Introducing ldquoGhalyardquo An Initiative by Women for Women
2 Celebrating International Womenrsquos Day
3 Launching ldquoBagaweetrdquo for Red Sea Crafts
Our Response to COVID-19
4 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Goes Digital in Response to COVID-19
5 ALEXBANK Joins the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos ldquoDoing Goodrdquo
Challenge
6 Alleviating Pressure on National Hospitals Equipping the
ldquoUmberto Irdquo Italian Hospital Intensive Care Unit
7 Our Community ndash Support via Awareness Creation
8 A Guide to Financing for the Creative Industries
Microloans amp Beyond
Gifts with Impact
9 The Line Between Corporate amp Impact with ldquoKhotootrdquo
10 Mending Broken Hearts One Cookie at a Time
11 The ldquoAshryrdquo Behind Our Ramadan Tradition
12 Ramadanrsquos One-Click Wish
Notable Events
13 ALEXBANK Attends the Egypt Network for Integrated
Developmentrsquos First ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo
Gala
14 Dialogue on Partnerships in the Private Sector
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian People
Program Closing Ceremony
15 Weaving Asyutrsquos Carpet Industry Together The Abu Teeg
Closing Ceremony
16 Forsa Bazaar The Chance Everyone Deserves
Sustainable Finance for Development
17 The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan Initiative Egyptrsquos First
Handicrafts Microloan in Action
18 Promoting Inclusivity in Egyptrsquos Financial Sector
19 ALEXBANK x ENACTUS A Partnership for Financial
Inclusion Research amp Innovative Solutions
Environmental amp Social Responsibility
20 World Water Day Water Efficiency for Water Security
21 Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day
22 Environmental amp Social Risk Training Within ALEXBANK
23 Rules for Donations in ALEXBANK An Anchored
Approach Towards Community Development
Page
05
07
09
11
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
25
26
27
28
29
31
33
34
35
36
37
38
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dear Readers
We are thrilled to be introducing edition three of our very own Sus-tainability News amp Topics
Despite the growing challenges that have risen as a direct result of COVID-19 we are happy to report the ALEXBANK community just as Intesa Sanpaolo Group is just as committed to establishing an inclusive financial industry strengthening discourse surround-ing the environmental matters that directly contribute our health as a global community and highlighting the valuable role Egyptian women play both in the handicrafts industry and society
In the past six months ALEXBANK has taken numerous measures to instigate social progress celebrate employees and make wom-en feel valued through the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo an initiative that aims to equip and empower women to achieve success through art capacity building and education In fact in the past three years alone the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has supported over 10000 women access the tools they need to take control of their future
If this edition is indicative of anything it is the incredible work be-ing undertaken by our partners staff and volunteers to establish a support system that can be sustained As we remain aligned with our parent company Intesa Sanapolo we continue to closely mon-itor the developments of the virus and transparently report on our initiatives in our upcoming 2019 Sustainability Report we will con-tinue assembling the cornerstones of shared value creation
Sincerely
Laila HosnyHead of CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
ALEXBANK
THIS EDITION OF SUSTAINABILITY NEWS amp TOPICS AN OVERVIEW
5 39
INTRODUCING ldquoGHALYArdquoAN INITIATIVE BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN
In 2018 the World Bank Reported that nearly 15
of Egyptian households are female headed Beyond
households the value of Egyptian women can be
felt in the arts academia science and the economy
To celebrate Egyptian women ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office launched ldquoGhalyardquo
(which translates to ldquovaluablerdquo) set to support and
empower Egyptian women across different fields
reach their full potential
In celebration of International Womenrsquos Day and
Egyptian Womenrsquos Day which take place on March
8th and March 16th respectively ALEXBANK launched
ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office Head Laila Hosni being recognized for launching ldquoGhalyardquo
Made by Baddara
ldquoGhalyardquo at the 35th Women Economic Forum under the auspices of Present Abdelfattah El Sisi Moreover
the National Council for Women and their national women empowerment initiative ldquoTaarsquo Marboutardquo were
featured as the main supporter of the event and initiative alike
The Women Economic Forum is a multinational forum dedicated to enabling women from diverse
backgrounds to expand their business and networking opportunities as well as strengthen discourse
surrounding women in the workforce
To accompany the launch of the initiative ALEXBANK provided bags giveaways and lanyards to all guests
created by women through the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos longstanding partnership with
Baddara a female-led handicrafts business in New Valley and Dahshour as well as El Fayrouz an enterprise
run by the resilient women of Sinai
6 39
Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK is committing to
provide Egyptian women from multiple industries
with the necessary support to become leaders
in their field The initiative comes as a natural
progression from its previous and ongoing efforts
to empower marginalized women through projects
and initiatives such as ldquoCombatting Early Marriagerdquo
in Manial Shiha in collaboration with Appropriate
Communication Techniques ldquoImproving the Living
Conditions of Children in Street Situationsrdquo in
collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development and Banati Foundation supporting
and partnering with female led enterprises such as
Doodle Factory a female-lead Egyptian brand that
inclusively empowers children through utilizing
their creativity to fund medical educational and
shelter needs of the children as well as Tawasol
Egypt NGO seeking to support two community and
educational development projects in Istabl Antar
and Rommana for Development NGO Workshop for
training and employment of more than 20 women in
Mokattam area in greater Cairo
At ALEXBANK we are eager to move forward with
the expansion of ldquoGhalyardquo recognizing the crucial
role women play in our institution and how valuable
they are to society ldquoGhalyardquo at the Women Economic Forum
ALEXBANK CEO Dante Campioni attending the Women Economic Forum
ldquoFor years ALEXBANK has been dedicating resources to support women and highlight their
important role within the Egyptian community Launching Ghalya at a such a monumental
event sets this initiative apart and sets a benchmark for the future of women initiatives in the
private sectorrdquo Maya Morsy President of the National Council for Women
ldquoWe remain grateful to ALEXBANK for partnering with Annual WEF Egypt 2020 and for
supporting the women artisans of Egypt with their ldquoGhalyardquo initiative enabling economic and
cultural enrichment for not just Egypt but for bringing the best of Egyptian arts and crafts to
the attention of the world This inspired us to launch SHEconomy a global e-marketplace for
women entrepreneurs from across the world and notably Egyptrdquo Harbeen Arora Founder of
Women Economic Forum
7 39
International Womenrsquos Day is an annual event that
takes place on the 8th of March to celebrate women and
generate dialogue on gender equality As an institution
that values its female workforce and promotes female
empowerment through its newly launched CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office initiative ldquoGhalyardquo
ALEXBANK chose to celebrate the day with the women
driving the Bankrsquos successes
In partnership with Egyptrsquos female led social enterprise
The Doodle Factory 2400 female staff were presented
with a ldquoGhalyardquo gift box Each box included an espresso
set a notebook coasters and a scarf or cardholder
inspired by the doodles of at-risk children Proceeds
from the gift box have been redirected to support
over 10000 children with liver diseases through the
purchasing of intensive care monitors for the Yassin
Abdel Gaafar Charity Center for Liver Diseases
The ldquoGhalyardquo inspired gift is one of many ways in
which the Bank highlights its appreciation to its
female staff who have been leading pioneers in the
evolution of ALEXBANK Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK
looks forward to enabling more women to realize their
potential and achieve wider successes
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENrsquoS DAY
Promoting creativity in children
The ldquoGhalyardquo Womenrsquos Day kit
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
Introduction
Ghalya
1 Introducing ldquoGhalyardquo An Initiative by Women for Women
2 Celebrating International Womenrsquos Day
3 Launching ldquoBagaweetrdquo for Red Sea Crafts
Our Response to COVID-19
4 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Goes Digital in Response to COVID-19
5 ALEXBANK Joins the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos ldquoDoing Goodrdquo
Challenge
6 Alleviating Pressure on National Hospitals Equipping the
ldquoUmberto Irdquo Italian Hospital Intensive Care Unit
7 Our Community ndash Support via Awareness Creation
8 A Guide to Financing for the Creative Industries
Microloans amp Beyond
Gifts with Impact
9 The Line Between Corporate amp Impact with ldquoKhotootrdquo
10 Mending Broken Hearts One Cookie at a Time
11 The ldquoAshryrdquo Behind Our Ramadan Tradition
12 Ramadanrsquos One-Click Wish
Notable Events
13 ALEXBANK Attends the Egypt Network for Integrated
Developmentrsquos First ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo
Gala
14 Dialogue on Partnerships in the Private Sector
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian People
Program Closing Ceremony
15 Weaving Asyutrsquos Carpet Industry Together The Abu Teeg
Closing Ceremony
16 Forsa Bazaar The Chance Everyone Deserves
Sustainable Finance for Development
17 The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan Initiative Egyptrsquos First
Handicrafts Microloan in Action
18 Promoting Inclusivity in Egyptrsquos Financial Sector
19 ALEXBANK x ENACTUS A Partnership for Financial
Inclusion Research amp Innovative Solutions
Environmental amp Social Responsibility
20 World Water Day Water Efficiency for Water Security
21 Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Day
22 Environmental amp Social Risk Training Within ALEXBANK
23 Rules for Donations in ALEXBANK An Anchored
Approach Towards Community Development
Page
05
07
09
11
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
25
26
27
28
29
31
33
34
35
36
37
38
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dear Readers
We are thrilled to be introducing edition three of our very own Sus-tainability News amp Topics
Despite the growing challenges that have risen as a direct result of COVID-19 we are happy to report the ALEXBANK community just as Intesa Sanpaolo Group is just as committed to establishing an inclusive financial industry strengthening discourse surround-ing the environmental matters that directly contribute our health as a global community and highlighting the valuable role Egyptian women play both in the handicrafts industry and society
In the past six months ALEXBANK has taken numerous measures to instigate social progress celebrate employees and make wom-en feel valued through the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo an initiative that aims to equip and empower women to achieve success through art capacity building and education In fact in the past three years alone the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has supported over 10000 women access the tools they need to take control of their future
If this edition is indicative of anything it is the incredible work be-ing undertaken by our partners staff and volunteers to establish a support system that can be sustained As we remain aligned with our parent company Intesa Sanapolo we continue to closely mon-itor the developments of the virus and transparently report on our initiatives in our upcoming 2019 Sustainability Report we will con-tinue assembling the cornerstones of shared value creation
Sincerely
Laila HosnyHead of CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
ALEXBANK
THIS EDITION OF SUSTAINABILITY NEWS amp TOPICS AN OVERVIEW
5 39
INTRODUCING ldquoGHALYArdquoAN INITIATIVE BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN
In 2018 the World Bank Reported that nearly 15
of Egyptian households are female headed Beyond
households the value of Egyptian women can be
felt in the arts academia science and the economy
To celebrate Egyptian women ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office launched ldquoGhalyardquo
(which translates to ldquovaluablerdquo) set to support and
empower Egyptian women across different fields
reach their full potential
In celebration of International Womenrsquos Day and
Egyptian Womenrsquos Day which take place on March
8th and March 16th respectively ALEXBANK launched
ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office Head Laila Hosni being recognized for launching ldquoGhalyardquo
Made by Baddara
ldquoGhalyardquo at the 35th Women Economic Forum under the auspices of Present Abdelfattah El Sisi Moreover
the National Council for Women and their national women empowerment initiative ldquoTaarsquo Marboutardquo were
featured as the main supporter of the event and initiative alike
The Women Economic Forum is a multinational forum dedicated to enabling women from diverse
backgrounds to expand their business and networking opportunities as well as strengthen discourse
surrounding women in the workforce
To accompany the launch of the initiative ALEXBANK provided bags giveaways and lanyards to all guests
created by women through the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos longstanding partnership with
Baddara a female-led handicrafts business in New Valley and Dahshour as well as El Fayrouz an enterprise
run by the resilient women of Sinai
6 39
Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK is committing to
provide Egyptian women from multiple industries
with the necessary support to become leaders
in their field The initiative comes as a natural
progression from its previous and ongoing efforts
to empower marginalized women through projects
and initiatives such as ldquoCombatting Early Marriagerdquo
in Manial Shiha in collaboration with Appropriate
Communication Techniques ldquoImproving the Living
Conditions of Children in Street Situationsrdquo in
collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development and Banati Foundation supporting
and partnering with female led enterprises such as
Doodle Factory a female-lead Egyptian brand that
inclusively empowers children through utilizing
their creativity to fund medical educational and
shelter needs of the children as well as Tawasol
Egypt NGO seeking to support two community and
educational development projects in Istabl Antar
and Rommana for Development NGO Workshop for
training and employment of more than 20 women in
Mokattam area in greater Cairo
At ALEXBANK we are eager to move forward with
the expansion of ldquoGhalyardquo recognizing the crucial
role women play in our institution and how valuable
they are to society ldquoGhalyardquo at the Women Economic Forum
ALEXBANK CEO Dante Campioni attending the Women Economic Forum
ldquoFor years ALEXBANK has been dedicating resources to support women and highlight their
important role within the Egyptian community Launching Ghalya at a such a monumental
event sets this initiative apart and sets a benchmark for the future of women initiatives in the
private sectorrdquo Maya Morsy President of the National Council for Women
ldquoWe remain grateful to ALEXBANK for partnering with Annual WEF Egypt 2020 and for
supporting the women artisans of Egypt with their ldquoGhalyardquo initiative enabling economic and
cultural enrichment for not just Egypt but for bringing the best of Egyptian arts and crafts to
the attention of the world This inspired us to launch SHEconomy a global e-marketplace for
women entrepreneurs from across the world and notably Egyptrdquo Harbeen Arora Founder of
Women Economic Forum
7 39
International Womenrsquos Day is an annual event that
takes place on the 8th of March to celebrate women and
generate dialogue on gender equality As an institution
that values its female workforce and promotes female
empowerment through its newly launched CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office initiative ldquoGhalyardquo
ALEXBANK chose to celebrate the day with the women
driving the Bankrsquos successes
In partnership with Egyptrsquos female led social enterprise
The Doodle Factory 2400 female staff were presented
with a ldquoGhalyardquo gift box Each box included an espresso
set a notebook coasters and a scarf or cardholder
inspired by the doodles of at-risk children Proceeds
from the gift box have been redirected to support
over 10000 children with liver diseases through the
purchasing of intensive care monitors for the Yassin
Abdel Gaafar Charity Center for Liver Diseases
The ldquoGhalyardquo inspired gift is one of many ways in
which the Bank highlights its appreciation to its
female staff who have been leading pioneers in the
evolution of ALEXBANK Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK
looks forward to enabling more women to realize their
potential and achieve wider successes
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENrsquoS DAY
Promoting creativity in children
The ldquoGhalyardquo Womenrsquos Day kit
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
Dear Readers
We are thrilled to be introducing edition three of our very own Sus-tainability News amp Topics
Despite the growing challenges that have risen as a direct result of COVID-19 we are happy to report the ALEXBANK community just as Intesa Sanpaolo Group is just as committed to establishing an inclusive financial industry strengthening discourse surround-ing the environmental matters that directly contribute our health as a global community and highlighting the valuable role Egyptian women play both in the handicrafts industry and society
In the past six months ALEXBANK has taken numerous measures to instigate social progress celebrate employees and make wom-en feel valued through the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo an initiative that aims to equip and empower women to achieve success through art capacity building and education In fact in the past three years alone the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has supported over 10000 women access the tools they need to take control of their future
If this edition is indicative of anything it is the incredible work be-ing undertaken by our partners staff and volunteers to establish a support system that can be sustained As we remain aligned with our parent company Intesa Sanapolo we continue to closely mon-itor the developments of the virus and transparently report on our initiatives in our upcoming 2019 Sustainability Report we will con-tinue assembling the cornerstones of shared value creation
Sincerely
Laila HosnyHead of CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
ALEXBANK
THIS EDITION OF SUSTAINABILITY NEWS amp TOPICS AN OVERVIEW
5 39
INTRODUCING ldquoGHALYArdquoAN INITIATIVE BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN
In 2018 the World Bank Reported that nearly 15
of Egyptian households are female headed Beyond
households the value of Egyptian women can be
felt in the arts academia science and the economy
To celebrate Egyptian women ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office launched ldquoGhalyardquo
(which translates to ldquovaluablerdquo) set to support and
empower Egyptian women across different fields
reach their full potential
In celebration of International Womenrsquos Day and
Egyptian Womenrsquos Day which take place on March
8th and March 16th respectively ALEXBANK launched
ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office Head Laila Hosni being recognized for launching ldquoGhalyardquo
Made by Baddara
ldquoGhalyardquo at the 35th Women Economic Forum under the auspices of Present Abdelfattah El Sisi Moreover
the National Council for Women and their national women empowerment initiative ldquoTaarsquo Marboutardquo were
featured as the main supporter of the event and initiative alike
The Women Economic Forum is a multinational forum dedicated to enabling women from diverse
backgrounds to expand their business and networking opportunities as well as strengthen discourse
surrounding women in the workforce
To accompany the launch of the initiative ALEXBANK provided bags giveaways and lanyards to all guests
created by women through the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos longstanding partnership with
Baddara a female-led handicrafts business in New Valley and Dahshour as well as El Fayrouz an enterprise
run by the resilient women of Sinai
6 39
Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK is committing to
provide Egyptian women from multiple industries
with the necessary support to become leaders
in their field The initiative comes as a natural
progression from its previous and ongoing efforts
to empower marginalized women through projects
and initiatives such as ldquoCombatting Early Marriagerdquo
in Manial Shiha in collaboration with Appropriate
Communication Techniques ldquoImproving the Living
Conditions of Children in Street Situationsrdquo in
collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development and Banati Foundation supporting
and partnering with female led enterprises such as
Doodle Factory a female-lead Egyptian brand that
inclusively empowers children through utilizing
their creativity to fund medical educational and
shelter needs of the children as well as Tawasol
Egypt NGO seeking to support two community and
educational development projects in Istabl Antar
and Rommana for Development NGO Workshop for
training and employment of more than 20 women in
Mokattam area in greater Cairo
At ALEXBANK we are eager to move forward with
the expansion of ldquoGhalyardquo recognizing the crucial
role women play in our institution and how valuable
they are to society ldquoGhalyardquo at the Women Economic Forum
ALEXBANK CEO Dante Campioni attending the Women Economic Forum
ldquoFor years ALEXBANK has been dedicating resources to support women and highlight their
important role within the Egyptian community Launching Ghalya at a such a monumental
event sets this initiative apart and sets a benchmark for the future of women initiatives in the
private sectorrdquo Maya Morsy President of the National Council for Women
ldquoWe remain grateful to ALEXBANK for partnering with Annual WEF Egypt 2020 and for
supporting the women artisans of Egypt with their ldquoGhalyardquo initiative enabling economic and
cultural enrichment for not just Egypt but for bringing the best of Egyptian arts and crafts to
the attention of the world This inspired us to launch SHEconomy a global e-marketplace for
women entrepreneurs from across the world and notably Egyptrdquo Harbeen Arora Founder of
Women Economic Forum
7 39
International Womenrsquos Day is an annual event that
takes place on the 8th of March to celebrate women and
generate dialogue on gender equality As an institution
that values its female workforce and promotes female
empowerment through its newly launched CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office initiative ldquoGhalyardquo
ALEXBANK chose to celebrate the day with the women
driving the Bankrsquos successes
In partnership with Egyptrsquos female led social enterprise
The Doodle Factory 2400 female staff were presented
with a ldquoGhalyardquo gift box Each box included an espresso
set a notebook coasters and a scarf or cardholder
inspired by the doodles of at-risk children Proceeds
from the gift box have been redirected to support
over 10000 children with liver diseases through the
purchasing of intensive care monitors for the Yassin
Abdel Gaafar Charity Center for Liver Diseases
The ldquoGhalyardquo inspired gift is one of many ways in
which the Bank highlights its appreciation to its
female staff who have been leading pioneers in the
evolution of ALEXBANK Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK
looks forward to enabling more women to realize their
potential and achieve wider successes
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENrsquoS DAY
Promoting creativity in children
The ldquoGhalyardquo Womenrsquos Day kit
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
5 39
INTRODUCING ldquoGHALYArdquoAN INITIATIVE BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN
In 2018 the World Bank Reported that nearly 15
of Egyptian households are female headed Beyond
households the value of Egyptian women can be
felt in the arts academia science and the economy
To celebrate Egyptian women ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office launched ldquoGhalyardquo
(which translates to ldquovaluablerdquo) set to support and
empower Egyptian women across different fields
reach their full potential
In celebration of International Womenrsquos Day and
Egyptian Womenrsquos Day which take place on March
8th and March 16th respectively ALEXBANK launched
ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office Head Laila Hosni being recognized for launching ldquoGhalyardquo
Made by Baddara
ldquoGhalyardquo at the 35th Women Economic Forum under the auspices of Present Abdelfattah El Sisi Moreover
the National Council for Women and their national women empowerment initiative ldquoTaarsquo Marboutardquo were
featured as the main supporter of the event and initiative alike
The Women Economic Forum is a multinational forum dedicated to enabling women from diverse
backgrounds to expand their business and networking opportunities as well as strengthen discourse
surrounding women in the workforce
To accompany the launch of the initiative ALEXBANK provided bags giveaways and lanyards to all guests
created by women through the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos longstanding partnership with
Baddara a female-led handicrafts business in New Valley and Dahshour as well as El Fayrouz an enterprise
run by the resilient women of Sinai
6 39
Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK is committing to
provide Egyptian women from multiple industries
with the necessary support to become leaders
in their field The initiative comes as a natural
progression from its previous and ongoing efforts
to empower marginalized women through projects
and initiatives such as ldquoCombatting Early Marriagerdquo
in Manial Shiha in collaboration with Appropriate
Communication Techniques ldquoImproving the Living
Conditions of Children in Street Situationsrdquo in
collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development and Banati Foundation supporting
and partnering with female led enterprises such as
Doodle Factory a female-lead Egyptian brand that
inclusively empowers children through utilizing
their creativity to fund medical educational and
shelter needs of the children as well as Tawasol
Egypt NGO seeking to support two community and
educational development projects in Istabl Antar
and Rommana for Development NGO Workshop for
training and employment of more than 20 women in
Mokattam area in greater Cairo
At ALEXBANK we are eager to move forward with
the expansion of ldquoGhalyardquo recognizing the crucial
role women play in our institution and how valuable
they are to society ldquoGhalyardquo at the Women Economic Forum
ALEXBANK CEO Dante Campioni attending the Women Economic Forum
ldquoFor years ALEXBANK has been dedicating resources to support women and highlight their
important role within the Egyptian community Launching Ghalya at a such a monumental
event sets this initiative apart and sets a benchmark for the future of women initiatives in the
private sectorrdquo Maya Morsy President of the National Council for Women
ldquoWe remain grateful to ALEXBANK for partnering with Annual WEF Egypt 2020 and for
supporting the women artisans of Egypt with their ldquoGhalyardquo initiative enabling economic and
cultural enrichment for not just Egypt but for bringing the best of Egyptian arts and crafts to
the attention of the world This inspired us to launch SHEconomy a global e-marketplace for
women entrepreneurs from across the world and notably Egyptrdquo Harbeen Arora Founder of
Women Economic Forum
7 39
International Womenrsquos Day is an annual event that
takes place on the 8th of March to celebrate women and
generate dialogue on gender equality As an institution
that values its female workforce and promotes female
empowerment through its newly launched CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office initiative ldquoGhalyardquo
ALEXBANK chose to celebrate the day with the women
driving the Bankrsquos successes
In partnership with Egyptrsquos female led social enterprise
The Doodle Factory 2400 female staff were presented
with a ldquoGhalyardquo gift box Each box included an espresso
set a notebook coasters and a scarf or cardholder
inspired by the doodles of at-risk children Proceeds
from the gift box have been redirected to support
over 10000 children with liver diseases through the
purchasing of intensive care monitors for the Yassin
Abdel Gaafar Charity Center for Liver Diseases
The ldquoGhalyardquo inspired gift is one of many ways in
which the Bank highlights its appreciation to its
female staff who have been leading pioneers in the
evolution of ALEXBANK Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK
looks forward to enabling more women to realize their
potential and achieve wider successes
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENrsquoS DAY
Promoting creativity in children
The ldquoGhalyardquo Womenrsquos Day kit
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
6 39
Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK is committing to
provide Egyptian women from multiple industries
with the necessary support to become leaders
in their field The initiative comes as a natural
progression from its previous and ongoing efforts
to empower marginalized women through projects
and initiatives such as ldquoCombatting Early Marriagerdquo
in Manial Shiha in collaboration with Appropriate
Communication Techniques ldquoImproving the Living
Conditions of Children in Street Situationsrdquo in
collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development and Banati Foundation supporting
and partnering with female led enterprises such as
Doodle Factory a female-lead Egyptian brand that
inclusively empowers children through utilizing
their creativity to fund medical educational and
shelter needs of the children as well as Tawasol
Egypt NGO seeking to support two community and
educational development projects in Istabl Antar
and Rommana for Development NGO Workshop for
training and employment of more than 20 women in
Mokattam area in greater Cairo
At ALEXBANK we are eager to move forward with
the expansion of ldquoGhalyardquo recognizing the crucial
role women play in our institution and how valuable
they are to society ldquoGhalyardquo at the Women Economic Forum
ALEXBANK CEO Dante Campioni attending the Women Economic Forum
ldquoFor years ALEXBANK has been dedicating resources to support women and highlight their
important role within the Egyptian community Launching Ghalya at a such a monumental
event sets this initiative apart and sets a benchmark for the future of women initiatives in the
private sectorrdquo Maya Morsy President of the National Council for Women
ldquoWe remain grateful to ALEXBANK for partnering with Annual WEF Egypt 2020 and for
supporting the women artisans of Egypt with their ldquoGhalyardquo initiative enabling economic and
cultural enrichment for not just Egypt but for bringing the best of Egyptian arts and crafts to
the attention of the world This inspired us to launch SHEconomy a global e-marketplace for
women entrepreneurs from across the world and notably Egyptrdquo Harbeen Arora Founder of
Women Economic Forum
7 39
International Womenrsquos Day is an annual event that
takes place on the 8th of March to celebrate women and
generate dialogue on gender equality As an institution
that values its female workforce and promotes female
empowerment through its newly launched CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office initiative ldquoGhalyardquo
ALEXBANK chose to celebrate the day with the women
driving the Bankrsquos successes
In partnership with Egyptrsquos female led social enterprise
The Doodle Factory 2400 female staff were presented
with a ldquoGhalyardquo gift box Each box included an espresso
set a notebook coasters and a scarf or cardholder
inspired by the doodles of at-risk children Proceeds
from the gift box have been redirected to support
over 10000 children with liver diseases through the
purchasing of intensive care monitors for the Yassin
Abdel Gaafar Charity Center for Liver Diseases
The ldquoGhalyardquo inspired gift is one of many ways in
which the Bank highlights its appreciation to its
female staff who have been leading pioneers in the
evolution of ALEXBANK Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK
looks forward to enabling more women to realize their
potential and achieve wider successes
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENrsquoS DAY
Promoting creativity in children
The ldquoGhalyardquo Womenrsquos Day kit
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
7 39
International Womenrsquos Day is an annual event that
takes place on the 8th of March to celebrate women and
generate dialogue on gender equality As an institution
that values its female workforce and promotes female
empowerment through its newly launched CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office initiative ldquoGhalyardquo
ALEXBANK chose to celebrate the day with the women
driving the Bankrsquos successes
In partnership with Egyptrsquos female led social enterprise
The Doodle Factory 2400 female staff were presented
with a ldquoGhalyardquo gift box Each box included an espresso
set a notebook coasters and a scarf or cardholder
inspired by the doodles of at-risk children Proceeds
from the gift box have been redirected to support
over 10000 children with liver diseases through the
purchasing of intensive care monitors for the Yassin
Abdel Gaafar Charity Center for Liver Diseases
The ldquoGhalyardquo inspired gift is one of many ways in
which the Bank highlights its appreciation to its
female staff who have been leading pioneers in the
evolution of ALEXBANK Through ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK
looks forward to enabling more women to realize their
potential and achieve wider successes
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMENrsquoS DAY
Promoting creativity in children
The ldquoGhalyardquo Womenrsquos Day kit
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
8 39
In celebration of the launch ALEXBANK shared the Ghalya cause box with influencers of impact and mediarsquos
most influential women The influencers used their platforms to promote and celebrate Ghalya and the
important value it offers
ldquoI believe the Ghalaya Initiative took corporate gifting to a whole new realm of corporate giving
We set the bar so high for everyone who wants to do some creative impact believing in the fact
that small choices can have a huge impactrdquo
Yasmeen Khamis Founder and CEO of the Doodle Factory
Egyptian influencers celebrate the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
9 39
LAUNCHING ldquoBAGAWEETrdquoFOR RED SEA CRAFTS
Egyptian handicrafters are often regarded as historians perfectly encapsulating the traditions of their ances-
tors into a handwoven piece For many female artisans in Egypt exploring the arts has been vital to both con-
tributing to the heritage preservation of their communities as well as their economic empowerment As such
ALEXBANK is proud to have launched ldquoBagaweetrdquo a project created by women for women
ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organization come together to launch ldquoBagaweetrdquo
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO Dante Campioni HE Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine Kabbaj and the Director of the International Labour Organization Eric Oechslin
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
10 39
Empowering young girls and women of all ages to embrace the arts
IgraveEgraveeUumlradicdivide]ltUumliacutefraslltIgraveEumlOumlAacutebdquopart
ldquoI commend the ILO on the phenomenal work it has done in reviving the beautiful crafts of the
Red Sea and selecting ALEXBANK to oversee the new phase of the initiative capitalizing on
the success of its leading initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and putting women at the center with
its new initiative ldquoGhalyardquo The Bagaweet (formerly Red Sea Crafts) initiative is a pivotal
initiative in supporting the handicrafts sector in the Red Sea governorate and we are proud to
support itrdquo HE Nevine El Qabbaj Minister of Social Solidarity
ldquoThe project enhanced womenrsquos creative skills and supported the branding and the marketing of
the products under the brand ldquoRed Sea Handicraftsrdquo through the renovation of two handicrafts
sales outlet and to ensure the sustainability of the project we agreed with ALEXBANKrsquos Ibda3
men Masr to take over the initiative including the two outlets and to continue the support to
the women artisans raising their technical skills introducing new products and enhancing
the marketing potentialrdquo Eric Oechslin Director of the International Labour Organization
Decent Work Team for North Africa in Cairo
The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project holds great significance to ALEXBANK as it becomes the first of many endeavours under
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos newly launched flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo seeking to empower
and support the Egyptian woman The ldquoBagaweetrdquo project which aligns with ALEXBANKrsquos initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo to support Egyptrsquos handicrafters is set to support women in Red Sea governorate in the cities of Hurghada
Al Qusair Safaga and Shalateen More importantly the project is headed by the social entrepreneur and CEO of
Thaat Egypt Peri Abou Zeid highlighting the Bankrsquos commitment to supporting female led social enterprises
ldquoBagaweetrdquo represents an upcoming phase of the International Labour Organizationrsquos previous ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo
project To commemorate the partnership on March 17th ALEXBANK and the International Labour Organiza-
tion signed a Memorandum of Understanding in attendance of Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Qab-
bag ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante Campioni and Director of the North Africa Decent Work
Team at the International Labor Organization Eric Oechslin
ldquoBagaweetrdquo is one of many projects being undertaken by ALEXBANK to both promote Egyptian handicrafts and
empower the women producing them With the launch of ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will be extending an even great-
er framework of support to women and magnifying their successes across Egyptrsquos evolving landscape
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
11 39
ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo GOES DIGITALIN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Egyptian craftsmen have suffered great economic losses with an estimated 70 decline in sales as a direct
result of escalating COVID-19 safety measures With bazaars and marketplaces steadily shutting down
artisans are expected to face further decline in their primary income In an effort to provide a holistic
framework of support to Egyptian handcrafters and align with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote digitalization
the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office developed an assistance and capacity-building program under
its flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo titled ldquoEbda3 men Masr Goes Digitalrdquo which aims to provide its
artisan network with a digital selling proposition and direct sales opportunities
LAUNCHING ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrsquoSrdquo FIRST EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BRAND STORE ON JUMIA EGYPT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ALEXBANK keeps staying solidly next to the valuable Egyptian handicrafts community in any
circumstance quickly responding to the challenges time by time may occur This groundbreaking
cooperation with so qualified partners allows promoting handcrafted products in a dedicated exclusive
online store displaying the recognized creativity of Egyptian artisans In Jumia we have found an ideal
partner that shares our ideals and our belief that true value comes through tangible marketing and sales
initiatives We strongly believe that with this initiative we can accelerate the recovery of handicraftsrsquo
As direct sales opportunities continue to decline nationally ALEXBANK has partnered with its long-term strategic partner Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Egyptrsquos leading online commerce platform Jumia Egypt to introduce an exclusive ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo online shopping experience The store will serve more than 4000 ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo partners and artisans 80 of women by revealing their products to a wider platform in order to stimulate Egyptrsquos creative economy
Moreover in alignment with ALEXBANKrsquos efforts to promote inclusivity across its initiatives the store will feature the works of artisans living with disabilities establishing a platform for equal opportunities in Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry To capture the essence of Egyptrsquos handicrafters all product packaging was designed by a local artist Wafaa Said to provide as many artists with the support ALEXBANK provided implementing partners Fair Trade Egypt and Yadaweya with an initial investment to source products from over 3681 artisans that enabled the start of the production cycle Revenues from online sales will be utilized by our implementing partners to purchase more products with the purpose of donating remaining revenues toward the introduction of a digital commerce capacity training for artisans
ldquoThese are the most difficult times for the Egyptian artisans especially those marginalized
However these are also times when consumers can make a big difference with conscious
responsible buying Through this initiative and having handicrafts available at Jumia everyone
has a chance to sustainably help the artisans through their purchases while buying a unique
productrdquo Mona El Sayed Implementing Partner At Fair Trade Egypt
production and give the chance to many buyers to appreciate and purchase safely from their home truly Egyptian products
to be proud of often expression of century-old local traditionsrdquo Dante Campioni CEO amp Managing Director
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
12 39
12 1
2
3
4
7
8
10
11
1315 18
19
20
22
16
21
5
17
9
146
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo impact map
SHOP EGYPTIAN TREASURES ONJUMIArsquoS ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SECTION
During these times of crisis Sawiris Foundation
is strongly committed to mitigate the effects of the
pandemic on the most marginalized communities in
Egypt We are immensely proud to take yet another
step to support those most at risk in particular the
talented community of Egyptian artisans which we
The ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo section on Jumiarsquos website
ldquoJumiarsquos support for lsquoEbda3 Men Masrrsquo initiative comes in line with Jumiarsquos belief that the true
growth drivers of economies are MSMEs Therefore Jumia works on encouraging handicrafts
as well as local products to try to promote these products via our platform where we work on
expanding the beneficiariesrsquo base of these products and open new markets through e-commerce
platforms Our unique ability to deliver products to the customer anytime and anywhere while
offering grants and benefits to encourage customersrsquo electronic purchases This collaboration
have already been supporting through our programs and partnerships
long before the crisis Together with our strategic partner ALEXBANK
who are a pioneer in the handicrafts sector and Jumia that shares
our collective vision we aim to showcase the skills of artisans from
22 Egyptian governorates through an innovative approach Relying
on Jumiarsquos well established online platform we will launch a section
exclusively dedicated to the artisansrsquo products and unique offerings
resulting in their economic empowermentrdquo Noura Selim Executive
Director of Sawiris Foundation for Social Development
with ALEXBANK and Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD) is the first of many pivotal platforms that
we aim to partner on together in the coming monthsrdquo Hesham Safwat CEO of Jumia Egypt
Governorates Number of Benefeciaries Governorates Number of
Benefeciaries
1 Alexandria 10 13 Minya 252 Aswan 265 14 Monufia 423 Asyut 61 15 New Valley 1204 Beheira 75 16 North Sinai 5555 Beni Suef 5 17 Qalyubia 376 Cairo 860 18 Qena 1657 Damietta 10 19 Red Sea 2508 Faiyum 185 20 Sharqia 59 Giza 330 21 Sohag 338
10 Kafr El Sheikh 93 22 South Sinai 7711 Luxor 120 Total Number of
beneficiaries 370012 Matruh 72
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
13 39
ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page boasts 36 million followers and remains one of the Bankrsquos strongest
communication tools To provide local artisans with a wider platform ALEXBANK launched a weekly social
media ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo campaign on the Bankrsquos official Facebook page in April The weekly campaign sheds
light on different arts and artisans providing direct links to their pages for direct online sales opportunities
and to further promote Egyptrsquos diverse cultural heritage Thus far ALEXBANKrsquos Facebook page has hosted 12
artisans and will continue to use its platform to support more local businesses during this time
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
ldquoWhat ALEXBANK is offering through its pioneering initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo be it through
exhibitions support capacity building and marketing opportunities is not just marketing or
support but a real empowerment for Egyptian craftsmen and craftswomen to sustain their
work as the key to our creative economy in Egyptrdquo Usama Ghazali Chairman of Yadaweya
ldquoTo date this has been a fruitful initiative bringing hope and support to local talents amidst
the troublesome times we are in Showcasing their work on our Facebook page goes to show
how sustainability is embedded within our business values and not just through our CSR ini-
tiativesrdquo Alia El Bishry Senior Marketing Executive
ALEXBANK AVAILING ITS FACEBOOK PAGE AS A PLATFORM TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Artisan at work
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
14 39
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
Forsa is a monthly bazaar for employees that
takes place in the Kasr El Nil branch to support
local businesses and promote Egyptian artisans
among employees However in response to the
rise of COVID-19 and ALEXBANKrsquos rigorous
safety measures to flatten the curve the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
launched a digital version of the
monthly event in Ramadan
The Ramadan themed digital Forsa
included six sellers Tawasol Egypt
Noqoush Masria Kenouz Embaby
Nina Shawky Fatma Al Ali and Beity
Bakes who were able to showcase a diverse
range of products including lanterns fashion baked
goods and pottery The online bazaar for ALEXBANK
staff took place via a catalogue which featured all
the products on sale providing interested buyers
with an opportunity to safely complete their
Ramadan shopping needs
FORSA BAZAAR GOES DIGITAL
بــــــازار فـــرصـــة على اإلنتـرنــــــت
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Kaftan (All sizes available) and Clutch
Kaftan (All sizes available)
Code A1 1200 LE
Code A4
Code A2 for KaftanCode A3 for clutch
Code A5
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات( و شنطة
كافتان )متاح كل المقاسات(
1800 LE 650 LE
1300 LE 1300 LE
Fool Cart Katayef Cart
Nuts Bowl Deacutecor set
Termes Cart Pillow Case
Code B1 Code B2
Code B3 Code B4
Code B5 Code B6
عربية فول عربية قطايف
طبق مكسرات طقم زينة فيبر
عربية ترمس كيس مخدة
150 LE 150 LE
25 LE 30 LE
200 LE 25 LE
Introducing Forsa Bazaarrsquos first online edition
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
15 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo CATALOGUEA ONE-STOP SHOP Restrictions on movement
during the era of COVID-19
have contributed to a rise in
online shopping in Egypt To
gain momentum ALEXBANK is
creating an electronic catalogue
for ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo artisans
and their stories The catalogue
aims to connect craftsmen to their
respective artistry establishing
a connection between their
products and their past
The Ebda3 men Masr online
catalogue will serve as a one stop
shop to explore the works of 100
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Women in particular contribute and rely on the stability of the handicrafts industry
artisans with plans to grow to better reflect the diversity of Egyptrsquos creative economy The online publication
provides viewers with a diverse range of products that include home essentials corporate gifts stationery
and fashion
The catalogue will be available on our online platforms over the coming months
To support the featured artisans all seller contact information is available to facilitate for a smooth
shopping experience
ALEXBANK is committed to supporting its stakeholders during the era of COVID-19 and ensuring new
measures are introduced to promote sustainable growth in the communities it operates in The CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office has dedicated years of its work to empowering Egyptrsquos artisan network
During these times of uncertainty the only unchanging feature in ALEXBANKrsquos evolving developmental
strategy is our commitment to supporting the arts As the Bank continues to move towards digitalization
we are also enhancing our framework of support to reflect our community needs
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
16 39
ALEXBANK JOINSTHE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo
The rise of COVID-19 has brought
about a series of disruptions that
have had dire consequences on
the economy The most imme-
diate challenge that many Egyp-
tians are facing is job insecurity
which alongside the mass spread
of the virus has contributed to
the decline of community wel-
fare
In March 2020 to support Egyptrsquos
daily laborers ALEXBANK accept-
ed Nestle Egyptrsquos challenge to
contribute to Egyptrsquos Food Bank
initiative and donate food box-
es to 10000 families The Bankrsquos
contribution is estimated to sup-
port an average of 40000 indi-
viduals for one month In turn
ALEXBANK has challenged Kiri
Egypt and the Sawiris Foundation
for Social Development to take
part in the viral challenge who
have contributed to feeding 1000
and 60000 families respectively
تكلفة األسرة الواحدة في الشهر = ١٦٠ جنيهOne family per month = 160 EGP
ldquoALEXBANK is no stranger to such endeavors seeing as how the Bank has continuously and
over the years supported the less fortunate through multiple initiatives encouraged by our
Chief Executive Officer and Top Management Team and emanating from the belief that it is
our duty to provide support the mechanisms of social and economic empowerment for better
living conditionsrdquo Sherif Lokman Head of Retail amp SME Division
The employee edition of the ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo included daily progress reports
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
17 39
THE ldquoDOING GOOD CHALLENGErdquo EMPLOYEE EDITION
Following the overwhelming success of the
initiative the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
and Human Resources Department introduced an
employee edition of the challenge ldquoTa7ady ElKheirrdquo
(ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo) in April 2020 The campaign
which is executed via daily announcements enables
all employees to safely contribute to the cause using
ldquoI am so proud of this challenge
and I have confidence in the
extent of difference that will
occur and the extent of its
impact on societyrdquo Nouran
Tarek Sheraton Branch
The ldquoDoing Good Challengerdquo aimed to shed light and support the families of Egyptian laborers
ldquoI am very proud that I belong to ALEXBANK which is always supporting those in need I was
very happy when I saw the Bank supporting 10000 families for a month I have accepted
the Employee Challenge and I kindly ask all my colleagues to donaterdquo Mohamed Mostafa
Customer Service Supervisor at ALEXBANK
ldquoI am so proud that I am a member of the ALEXBANK family as it is continuously supporting
(both financially and through education) those in need And recently supporting 10000 day
to day workers families I am sure that each one of us will be responsible to support more and
more familiesrdquo Nivan Kamal Business Development Officer
ALEXBANKrsquos Ma7fazty and online banking applications Thus far the employee campaign has supported
6738 families with 400 food boxes directly allocated to support the Banati Foundation empowering girls in
Egyptrsquos informal communities
ALEXBANKrsquos community remains committed to alleviating the challenges that have directly resulted from
this global pandemic In the coming months we look forward to extending our support to a wider community
and enabling the progression of the communities we operate in If you would like to contribute yourself you
can safely do so from the comfort of your home via the Egyptian Food Bankrsquos website
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
18 39
ALLEVIATING PRESSURE ON NATIONAL HOSPITALS EQUIPPING THE ldquoUMBERTO Irdquo ITALIAN HOSPITAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
As the global community proceeds to shift its efforts towards addressing COVID-19 ALEXBANK has been
actively working to support Egyptrsquos healthcare providers and institutions With the number of COVID-19
cases steadily increasing across the country Egyptrsquos medical infrastructure much like the rest of the worldrsquos
is overwhelmed
In March 2020 to address the medical needs of Egyptians the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
collaborated with Umberto I Italian Hospital to further equip the institution with six Intensive Care Unit
ventilators Since its founding in 1903 the Umberto I Italian Hospital has been providing world class medical
treatment to both Egyptians and foreigners living in Egypt Moreover the hospitalrsquos history as an institution
that was built by Italian immigrants represents Egyptrsquos strong ties to Italy and their mutual contribution to
promoting access to safe healthcare services
ALEXBANKrsquos donation is set to serve 200 individuals per month Moreover it aims to alleviate pressure
off national hospitals by providing relief to Egyptians seeking health support particularly during a time
when medical resources are scarce with the purpose of working towards the containment of the disease
on a national scale To further meet the needs of the increasingly critical health crisis the project may be
complemented with an additional phase which will be designed to equip multi-function emergency rooms
alongside providing crisis management and technical training to all medical staff
The health and wellbeing of all members of our community remains central to the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office Strategy particularly during these uncertain times ALEXBANK would like to take
this opportunity to thank all the medical professionals supporting those affected by this pandemic as
we continue to expand our support to healthcare providers over the coming months If you would like to
support health institutions and professionals you can donate to the Tahya Misr Fund Egyptian Cure Bank
or the Ahl Masr Hospital
The Umberto I Italian Hospital
Source italianhospitalcairo
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
19 39
OUR COMMUNITYSUPPORT VIA AWARENESS CREATION
Along with CARE Egypt and Vodafone ALEXBANK initiated a project that aims to reach our beneficiaries by
proactively escalating our response and supporting them in a practical and useful way Due to health and
wellbeing risks induced by COVID-19 field activities of our Digital Saving Groups Project in partnership with
CARE Egypt and Vodafone have paused However more than ever it is during these challenging months that
remaining in touch with our beneficiaries is crucial
To provide them with adequate support we created diverse messages covering diverse topics including
hygiene social distancing and immunity boosting health tips The messages are not only addressed to
the groups of women of our Digital Saving Group project but are also reaching almost 2000 especially
vulnerable beneficiaries affiliated to our partners Banati Foundation Kheir Wa Baraka and Appropriate
Communication Techniques for Development (ACT) as well as indirectly raising the awareness of 86000
individuals from various projects run by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office
During these challenging times ALEXBANK will continue utilizing its digital platforms to reach its diverse
community and lend its support As the developments of the virus continue to evolve ALEXBANK will be
evolving its online services to ensure the safety of its stakeholders is not compromised
The Digital Savings Groups Proj-
ect is a financial inclusion proj-
ect that recognizes the extent to
which women in marginalized
rural communities lack access
to extra pools of cash to support
their household or to grow their
microprojects thus impacting
their wellbeing and that of their
families
The ultimate goal of the Digi-
tal Savings Groups project is to
financially integrate unbanked
women in the disadvantaged
communities of Beni Suief and
Asyut through tailored and cus-
tomized financial products and
services namely groups with
savings and peer-to-peer lend-
ing mechanisms The project
also aims to avail a digital lend-
A sample of the COVID-19 SMS
ing platform that will deliver in-
clusive and accessible financial
products tailored to the womenrsquos
needs to further enhance their
economic and social welfare The
project is set to benefit 10000
Egyptian women
The CSR amp Sustainable Devel-
opment Officersquos is consistently
evolving its efforts to establish
channels for inclusive finance
that will economically empow-
er as well as enhance equality
of opportunity to marginalized
communities especially wom-
en Through the Digital Savings
Groups Project we look forward
to introducing more tailored fi-
nancial products and services ca-
tering for the needs of Egyptian
women
ldquoDonrsquot get close to anyone sneezing or coughing Make sure there is dis-tance between yourself and people Avoid touch-ing people and greeting them using handshakes COVID-19 gets transmit-ted through touching carri-ers of the virus If you cough or sneeze cover your face using your elbow or tissue paper then throw the tissue paper away and quickly wash your hands Protect yourself protect others If you feel any symptoms please call the Ministry of Health on their hotline 105 and 15335rdquo
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
20 39
A GUIDE TO FINANCING FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES MICROLOANS amp BEYOND
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is ALEXBANKrsquos flagship social responsibility initiative and has evolved to become one of the main CSR platforms in the Egyptian banking sector since its launch in early 2016 The impact ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has on the creative industry is achieved through multiple collaborations and partnerships aiming at empowering traditional communities as well as increasing entrepreneurial opportunities with the goal of further promoting the preservation of Egyptian craftsrsquo heritage and original artwork Based on the concept of Creating Shared Value ALEXBANK is a full-fledged partner of citizens and community blending the creation of social value with the growth of the economy
Given the current circumstances and the expectation for the lockdown to remain in place during the coming weeksmonths artisans and members of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo network are expected to endure further substantial negative economic impacts The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown coincided with Ramadan the highest season for most of Egyptian craftsmen and women Amplified by the ramifications of social distancing and the cancelation of bazaars and marketplaces traditionally linked with the ambience of the holy month their sales revenues diminished significantly incurring heavy and unforeseen losses
1 15 TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES GUIDE TO FINANCING
The cover of the Guide To Financing
To support the handicrafts sector that is disproportionately suffering because of COVID-19 and the associated liquidity crunch we are raising awareness about all the financing options available for those working in the Egyptian creative industries We designed the Creative Industries Guide to Financing laying out financing options that are tailored for handicrafts businesses to help them mitigate cash flow problems and prevent the necessity of dismissing any employees
The Creative Industries Guide to Financing has been designed to incorporate all the suitable financing schemes and loan products that ALEXBANK can offer to the craftsmen and women working in the creative industry sector It introduces all relevant microfinance and Small Business products and financing schemes that are applicable to handicrafts businesses of these sizes
Hoping to present relevant financing schemes the Creative Industries Guide to Financing follows a simple narrative with the aim of directly supporting and reassuring craftsmen and women that the loan products offered can meet their business needs during these tough times It is designed as such to contribute to financially cushioning the handicrafts sector while further preserving Egyptian heritage and achieving the objective of shared value The CSR amp Sustainable Development remains committed
to providing Egyptrsquos craftsmen with the necessary tools to thrive and looks forward to introducing new services that cater to the preservation of Egyptrsquos rich heritage for years to come
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear perception of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population This has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
21 39
THE LINE BETWEEN CORPORATEAND IMPACT WITH ldquoKHOTOOTrdquo
In the last five years ALEXBANK has maintained
a proud tradition of presenting its partners with
a gift that symbolizes the multifaceted nature of
our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative The ldquoGifts with
Impactrdquo initative aims to promote and facilitate a
sustainable procurement process that enables local
enterprises and Egyptian entrepreneurs to gain
exposure for their unique worksWords of hope and optimism
The Khotoot project is considered one of the best by ALEXBANK and its initiative ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo because it showcases the beauty and mastery of Calligraphy in a new and modernized
look Khotoot adds a sense of understanding that speaks clearly to the vision and the beauty of
the phrase (Hope for the best and you shall find it)rdquo Dr Khaled Megahed Project Calligrapher
ldquoThank you for the beautiful Arabic calligraphy painting you made Itrsquos a very thoughtful gift in these hard and
unknown times we are all going through ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo this message of hope we all need
to remember I absolutely love itrdquo Rosa Abdel Malek Partnerships Director at Sawiris Foundation for Social
Development
ldquoIt was a pleasure working with ALEXBANK We look forward to working on more projects
that embrace local art and craftsmanship Our Motto - Taste amp Trustrdquo
Chris Mikaelian Co-Owner of the Readerrsquos Corner
This year 285 of ALEXBANKrsquos partner institutions and clients received an Arabic calligraphy art piece
titled ldquoKhotootrdquo (which literally translates to ldquolinesrdquo or ldquocalligraphyrdquo) preaching for optimism through the
written words of ldquoHope for the best and you shall find itrdquo (ldquoتفاءلوا بالخير تجدوهrdquo) Each piece is carefully written
by Egyptian calligrapher Khaled Mujahed placed in wooden frames by The Readerrsquos Corner Bookshop and
colored with sheets of gold Designed and handcrafted to combine the beauty of Arabic calligraphyrsquos ancient
tradition and the freshness of a modern frame design the piece is reflective of the remnants of history that
can be seen and felt in everyday Egypt
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has enabled the Bank
to lend its support to Egyptian artisans as well as Egyptrsquos rich historical landscape As with everything we
do we aim to shed light on the diversity that has strengthened Egyptrsquos current artisan industry and will
continue on our quest to created value that can be shared
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
22 39
MENDING BROKEN HEARTSONE COOKIE AT A TIME
ALEXBANK employees enjoying Weirdough cookies on Valentinersquos Day
On Valentinersquos Day people around
the world gather to celebrate love
and all the things that make
hearts grow two sizes too big
At ALEXBANK the day holds
equal stature in our institution
and provides with it a unique
opportunity for colleagues to
engage with one another while
creating shared value for all
Proceeds from the gift went towards supporting the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
In collaboration between the CSR amp Sustainable
Development Office and the Human Resources
Department staff across ALEXBANKrsquos network of
175 branches were able to enjoy delicious cookies
by Egyptian bakery Weirdough and handmade
artisanal gifts made from lemon tree wood
To extend the spirit of Valentinersquos Day and in the
name of ALEXBANKrsquos staff a portion of the cost
of every gift was donated to long-time ALEXBANK
partner in the healthcare sector the Magdi Yacoub
Heart Foundation in support of their efforts to
provide safe and accessible medical services to
Egyptians in need
ldquoItrsquos very heartwarming for us how ALEXBANK is always thinking of us and including our
cause in their internal activities with employees The Valentinersquos Day contribution was another
stepping stone in our alliance which we value deeply Wersquore grateful for their support of our
mission to save livesrdquo The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation
As with every gift the Bank presents staff ALEXBANK is excited to engage all members of its community
through creative means as well as further its efforts to support Egyptrsquos healthcare system
ldquoThe unexpected gestures provided by ALEXBANK always remind us of our importance in the
bank and this little cookie sent us rays of love on Valentinersquos Day The cherry on top was added
when we were told that all donations were made to Magdy Yaacoub Foundation and thatrsquos
when the feeling of connecting hearts in all possible ways put a smile on our facesrdquo Haya
Shoula Liabilities Assistant Product Manager at ALEXBANK
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
23 39
THE ldquoASHRYrdquo BEHIND ALEXBANKrsquoS ANNUAL RAMADAN TRADITION
Over the years ALEXBANK has created a unique Ramadan tradition among its employees by distributing a
custom bag containing a quality selection of ldquoyameeshrdquo (dried fruits nuts and ingredients that are custom
during the holy month) The Ramadan Bag among many annual giveaways falls under our gifting with
purpose rationale under our ldquoGifts with Impactrdquo initiative Thus far the Ramadan Bags have benefited over
1950 women from Sinai Aswan Cairo Giza Fayoum and Asyut
In partnership with ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office and Human Resources Department
the Ramadan bags remain one of our most successful annual endeavors and is highly anticipated by
employees across our diverse branch network In 2019 employees enjoyed a custom Ramadan bag by
El Fayrouz a female led organization celebrating the culture of Sinai through This year to accompany
the launch of the CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos initiative Ghalya which aims to empower and
celebrate the Egyptian woman employees were presented with the Ashry bag Ashry which translates to
ldquobeautyrdquo in the Nubian language is reflective of an extensive partnership and collaboration between the
female artisans of Baddara in Dahshour and Alwaneta which together have empowered over 500 resilient
women in the creative economy from the villages of Aswan Dahshour and Cairo The 2020 Ramadan bag
benefited over 500 women from Dar El Salam Cairo Dahshour Village Giza Gabal Shisha Village Hakroub
Village and Kom Ombo in Aswan
One of the many women who brought colour to our Ramadan tradition
ldquoRamadan Bags is a tradition that ALEXBANK employees wait for every year and this year it
meant so much more to receive our beautiful Ashry bag with all that is happeningrdquo Omar El
Khawas Legal Affairs at ALEXBANK
ldquoFor me the Ramadan Bags project was a big challenge However I was very proud that I was
working with a large entity like ALEXBANK It was always my focus to produce the bags with
high quality because the bag depends mainly on a high level of craftsmanship and skill with
many detail works This is why I was keen to train women who worked in the bags whether in
the Nubian Villages or in the neighborhoods of Cairordquo Essra Shouman Founder of Alwaneta
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
24 39
Our Ramadan Bags Over the Years
Shomous2017
450Women
Sinawy2019
Ashry2020
Rouh2018
650Women
350Women
500Female Beneciaries
RepresentingGiza and Fayoum from
ElMoatamadeya and Studio Imbaba
Representing Assiut Dahshour and Fayoum from MacrameRouh Fair Trade Yadaweya and Baddara
Representing Sinai from El Fayrouz NGO
Representing Aswan Cairo and Dahshour from Alwaneta and
Baddara
ldquoWhen ALEXBANK considers gifting its employees they are also mindful of offering opportunities
to unleash the creativity and empowerment of women from underprivileged areas who are
behind this wonderful bagrdquo Nehal ElYamany Loan Operations Officer at ALEXBANK
ldquoThe story started when I joined lsquorsquoEbda3 men Masrrsquorsquo initiative and how through the initiative
we implemented many projects Through the many projects we have worked on we were able
to add value to our partners and accumulated experiences over the years It all led to the
Ramadan Bags Project and as usual we did our best to produce a high-quality bag that is
suitable for ALEXBANKrsquos employees and up to the quality standards of Baddara Through this
project we were able to train the women in Dahshourrdquo Abeer Geddawy Owner of Baddara
ldquoFour years ago I participated in my first exhibition with ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo and I was happy to take part in this
year Ramadan Bags project as the coordinator for the female artisans preparing the crochet bags in Aswan with
Alwanetardquo Laila Dahab Coordinator Alwaneta
Beyond enabling Egyptian women to explore their creative and artistic talents the bags celebrate Egyptrsquos
cultural and historical landscapes preserving our heritage through a medium that touches our daily lives
Despite current events ALEXBANK was able to successfully distribute more than 6400 Ramadan bags to
all employees across its vast branch network establishing itself as a unique Egyptian model for celebrating
Ramadan with its community members
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
25 39
RAMADANrsquoS ONE-CLICK WISH
ALEXBANKrsquos annual ldquoMake Their Wishes Come Truerdquo campaign remains one of our most successful initia-
tives under the Ramadan Lights campaign The highly anticipated initiative is conducted via daily email
announcements with instructions on how to grant a childrsquos wish providing a unique employee experience
through which to promote the welfare of Egyptian children
In 2020 ALEXBANKrsquos CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has partnered with the MOVE Foundation for
children with Cerebral Palsy and Gannat-Al-Kholoud for underprivileged children in ldquoGarbage Cityrdquo (ldquoEl Zab-
baleenrdquo) to compile a list of wishes from marginalized and children with disabilities for employees to grant
ALEXBANK employees have been granting the wishes of children for two consecutive Ramadans
21working daysof Ramadan
42wishes
2NGOs supported
33 employees
who took part
For every working day an announcement is sent with two handwritten wishes reaching a total of 42 granted
wishes during 21 working days of Ramadan almost doubling the 23 wishes granted the year prior in aid of
the students at Tawasol for Developing Istabl Antarrsquos NGOrsquos community school for child development Fur-
thermore to accommodate the national changes that have taken place to contain the spread of COVID-19
the campaign has been adapted to ensure employees can still practice social distancing while supporting
children from marginalized communities through online purchases only
While we may have celebrated Ramadan differently this year ALEXBANK made every attempt to ensure it re-
mains as involved and invested in the wellbeing of Egyptrsquos future generation Moreover we are proud to report
our community is as engaged as it was last year and that in keeping with tradition many wishes came true
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
26 39
ALEXBANK ATTENDS THE EGYPT NETWORK FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENTrsquoS FIRST ldquoSUPPORTING WOMEN IN UPPER EGYPTrdquo GALA
On February 8th ALEXBANK partnered with the Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) Foundation to
host its first ldquoSupporting Women in Upper Egyptrdquo themed gala dinner under the auspices of Egyptrsquos Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly in support of ENIDrsquos current sustainability projects seeking to provide socio-economic support
to marginalized communities particularly women and youth in Upper Egypt
The Gala brought forth more than 300 notable figures in the field of development including Chairwoman of
the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development Yousriya Loza who was honored for her continuous efforts
to support marginalized Egyptians Moreover in attendance Egyptrsquos ministers and ALEXBANK strategic
partners such as Minister of Social Solidarity HE Nivine El Kabbag as well as Minister of International
Cooperation HE Rania Al Mashaat
Over the years the CSR amp Sustainable Development Office has worked in close collaboration with ENID as
partners in development in Egypt We have partnered and actively worked together to promote handicrafts
as a tool for development in Egypt through our ldquoCluster Formation for Handicrafts and Entrepreneurship
Development in Upper Egyptrdquo project which provided 1200 women with tailored crafts-based trainings
ALEXBANK is proud to have attended the Gala as a partner and looks forward to both contributing and
witnessing the eventrsquos goals come to fruition
HE Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat speaking at ENIDrsquos first gala dinner
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
27 39
To reaffirm its commitment to generating stable
employment opportunities on February 25th
ALEXBANK proudly took part in the closing
ceremony for the ldquoDecent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo
project which was designed and implemented by
the International Labour Organization and funded
by the Government of Canada since 2011
ALEXBANKrsquos CEO and Managing Director Dante
Campioni participated in the panel titled ldquoDecent
Jobs for Egyptian Peoplersquos Successful Partnerships
with the Private Sectorrdquo highlighting the valuable
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALEXBANKrsquoS CEO AT THE ldquoDECENT JOBS FOR EGYPTIAN PEOPLErdquo PROGRAM CLOSING CEREMONY
Panel of speakers reflecting on the programrsquos role in supporting Egyptian youth
Attendees at the Decent Jobs for Egyptian Peoplerdquo closing ceremony
role of private institutions in leveraging their power to create shared value through partnerships Moreover
he highlighted the role of CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo in
supporting Egyptrsquos creative economy and leveraging its growing network to take over the second phase of
the ldquoRed Sea Craftsrdquo project in partnership with the International Labour Organization under the new brand
name of ldquoBagaweetrdquo
Local communities benefit most when the institutions they place their trust in support sustainable
development projects ALEXBANK recognizes that access to safe and decent employment is the cornerstone
to socioeconomic development that can be sustained In fact in July 2019 the Bank organized the first
inclusive employment fair titled ldquoAzmrdquo to provide decent and equal employment opportunities to Egyptians
living with disabilities In alignment with our Code of Ethics the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy
and the values that govern our institution ALEXBANK looks forward to strengthening dialogue surrounding
sustainable development practices as well as embarking on new partnerships to enhance its impact on the
communities it operates in
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
28 39
WEAVING ASYUTrsquoS CARPET INDUSTRY TOGETHER THE ABU TEEG CLOSING CEREMONY
In 2018 ALEXBANK launched the Abu Teeg project in Asyut to promote the growth of its carpet making in-
dustry under its CSR amp Sustainable Development Office flagship initiative ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Following two
successful years of capacity training workshops ALEXBANK celebrated the closing of its project on February
17th in the governorate of Asyut
The ceremony welcomed representatives from all partners involved including the Sawiris Foundation for
Social Development the Egyptian Chamber of Handicrafts the Egyptian Export Council of Handicrafts and
the Ministry of Trade and Industry through Micro Small and Medium and Small Enterprises Development
Agency to reflect on the projectrsquos milestones and the role of capacity training in sustaining communities
and revitalizing cities across Egypt
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 150 female carpet makers who took part in tailored carpet
making trainings for six months and are now equipped with the technical skills to directly contribute to
improving the local carpet industry with the prospect of employment in the facility
Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry is bursting with innovation talent and creativity ALEXBANK is committed to
lending its support to numerous crafts and looks forward to playing an active role in its growth
Woman receiving her certificate for completing the carpet making training program
Photo by Mohamed El Gendy
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
29 39
FORSA BAZAAR THE CHANCE EVERYONE DESERVES
LITTLE STEPS
Forsa (which translates to ldquoChancerdquo) is a bazaar that takes place every month at the Kasr El Nil branch The
bazaar which aims to promote and support Egyptian enterprises and artisans provides ALEXBANKrsquos staff
with an exceptional opportunity to shop for local treasures while supporting a meaningful cause under the
bazaarrsquos monthly revolving themes
In January we enjoyed a ldquoLittle Stepsrdquo themed edi-
tion of Forsa Bazaar signifying the small yet im-
pactful progressions people make to achieve their
resolutions for the new year A female-led extrava-
ganza exhibitors such as SEPIA Salma Shokry and
Pink Lotus were present to sell handmade jewelry
inspired by Egyptian icons handmade stationary
candles and beauty products As with every edition
of the bazaar employees were granted the chance to
embrace the theme further by supporting the paw
steps of animals at the Hope Rescue Shelter The January Forsa Bazaar announcement
ldquoHaving witnessed the amazing work ALEXBANK did in Diarna I was happy to take
part in the monthly Forsa Bazaar at ALEXBANKrsquos HQ The Forsa Bazaar initiative is
great because it allows the employees to witness the great work the CSR does with the
handicrafts sector and I look forward to future opportunities to collaboraterdquo Nada Talaat
Founder and CEO of Nada Talaat Designs
KEEP THE BEATldquoKeep the Beatrdquo was the February theme for our
Forsa Bazaar ALEXBANKrsquos longtime partner the
Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation were present and
we were able to support the organization in their
efforts to provide cardiovascular assistance to chil-
dren In attendance artisan mecca Yadaweya of-
fered handcrafted products Drylicious showcased
their collection of healthy dried fruits and Black Lo-
tus offers a wide variety of all-natural sustainable
beauty productsThe February Forsa Bazaar announcement
Hope is a no kill animal shelter that provides Egyptrsquos homeless animals with a safe sanctuary to
thrive and rehabilitate
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
30 39
FORSArsquoS CENTRAL BANK OF EGYPT DEBUTWhen Forsa Bazaar was first introduced in the summer of 2018 ALEXBANKrsquos initial goal of launching a
monthly bazaar for its body of staff was still under trial and opinions were yet to be formed In under two
years Forsa has become a staple at our Kasr El Nil Branch For that reason ALEXBANK was thrilled to in-
troduce a special edition of the bazaar at the Central Bank of Egypt
In alignment with the Egyptian governmentrsquos efforts to promote gender equality and in celebration of the
CSR amp Sustainable Development Officersquos new flagship initiative ldquoGhalyardquo which aims to empower and cel-
ebrate Egyptian women a Womenrsquos Forsa Bazaar was organized at the Central Bank of Egypt The event
which would mark Forsarsquos first external debut took place on March 2nd and March 11th at the ALEXBANK
Gomhoureya Building and the Central Bank of Egypt Print House
Egyptian products on display
A splash of colour in every corner of Forsa
ldquoALEXBANK has been a partner with the Central Bank of Egypt for a very long time and we
have seen the amazing work they continue to do to support the disadvantaged To celebrate
Womenrsquos Day it only made sense to partner with ALEXBANK to bring Forsa Bazaar to our
premises And due to the success we hosted another one at our print house to offer our print
house employees the opportunity to shop locally made productsrdquo Lamise Negm CSR Advisor
to the Governor Central Bank of Egypt
ldquoEngaging employees is important in embedding the culture of the workplace and having the first external Forsa
Bazaar at our premises was an excellent opportunity to support local craftswomen and help them celebrate
Womenrsquos Month The bazaar was a huge success and we look forward to future editions of itrdquo Heba AbouRabia
Sub Governor - Human Resources Central Bank of Egypt
This edition of Forsa provided Central Bank of Egypt
staff with an opportunity to explore the diverse
handcrafted products being produced by 20 fe-
male-led businesses such as El Nafeza Ellie Home
Deacutecor and Rania Hilal Designs Beyond providing a
platform for emerging Egyptian businesses the ba-
zaar enabled visitors to support the female artisans
contributing to Egyptrsquos growing handicrafts com-
munity by generating significant sales proceeds
Since its inception the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Office has been working to empower Egyptrsquos
handicrafts community through its ldquoEbda3 men
Masrrdquo initiative Under ldquoGhalyardquo ALEXBANK will
further strengthen its commitment to economical-
ly empowering women among which are artisans
to create value that can be shared
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
31 39
THE ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo MICROLOAN INITIATIVE EGYPTrsquoS FIRST HANDICRAFTS MICROLOAN IN ACTION
ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo is the CSR amp Sustainable Develop-
ment Officersquos flagship initiative tailored to support
Egyptian artisans across the country It paves the
way to expand entrepreneurial opportunities with-
in different sectors of the handicrafts community
where artisans -women and youth in particular-
gain access to capacity building vocational training
employability skills and fair-trade certification op-
portunities To date ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo has worked
with 5000 craftsmen across all governorates 90 of
which are women resulting in over EGP 23 million
generated direct sales
In 2019 ALEXBANKrsquos ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo proposition
expanded to further extend its financial inclusion ac-
tivities by designing a holistic proposition to ldquoEbda3
men Masrrdquo handcrafters in order to further empower
them In addition to the financial package a bouquet
of customized non-financial services was designed
to enhance their abilities and to further grow their
businesses successfully This will allow us to eventu-
Female artisan using palm wood to create sustainable products
Pottery in Egyptrsquos Oasis
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
32 39
The financial inclusion logic is embedded in our general business growth strategy as we have a clear percep-
tion of the existing gap in Egypt versus other more mature markets where our Group is present As such and
to bridge the financial inclusion gap ALEXBANK works on better serving the underbanked segments (micro
small and medium enterprises especially) and financially including the unbanked population Our strategy is
aimed at advancing the development of our operations in these segments looking not beyond the short-term
and to the medium-term profitability as well As part of our sustainability and responsible business princi-
ples we strictly monitor the costs versus the expected benefits to all our stakeholders How to implement our
strategy will continue to depend also on the evolution of the regulatory framework in particular what con-
cerns the possible implementation of the ldquoonline KYCrdquo and the rules of agentrsquos potential engagement This
has been considered in our 4-year Business Plan (2018-2021) built in accordance with our Grouprsquos directions
AN ldquoEBDA3 MEN MASRrdquo SUCCESS STORY
Reem is the owner of a company that produces and designs womenrsquos clothing She says
ldquothe Ebda3 men Masr microloan helped me buy my materials in season and in bulk therefore
making it a lot cheaper while also giving me a platform to further invest in and grow my
business The cash surplus also helped my presence in the market giving me the opportunity
to produce new products therefore allowing my name and brand to be seen and rememberedrdquo
ally achieve the objective of shared value business
for ALEXBANK and social value for the handicrafts
while further fostering Egyptian heritage
In 2019 15 microloans were disbursed and in 2020
five microloans were disbursed amounting to a to-
tal of 20 disbursed microloans to date Furthermore
along with our partners and as part of the non-fi-
nancial services component ALEXBANK has imple-
mented and conducted one marketing and digital
services training session and one legal advisory ser-
vices training session with plans to conduct and
implement direct sales opportunities and business
skills training sessions to EMM microloan clients in
the near future
If you would like to know more about the package and
features of the ldquoEbda3 men Masrrdquo Microloan as well as
the non-financial services please refer to the previ-
ous edition (Edition 2) of Sustainability News amp Topics
EditionWomen represent a large segment of Egyptrsquos handicrafts industry
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
33 39
PROMOTING INCLUSIVITYIN EGYPTrsquoS FINANCIAL SECTOR
In line with the Central Bank of
Egyptrsquos vision and our CSR amp
Sustainable Development Office
(2018-2021) financial inclusion
is a key priority for ALEXBANK
As such our accessibility project
in partnership with Helm Con-
sulting aims to make ALEXBANK
branches more accessible to Peo-
ple with Disabilities (PwDs)
In 2018 ALEXBANK made five
branches accessible another
15 branches in 2019 and three
branches in 2020 Therefore to
date ALEXBANK has made 23
branches accessible with plans
to further increase and expand
our accessible branches network
throughout 2020 and in the future
Our approach is to enable PwDs to
access our branches as do other
clients as well as the Bankrsquos staff
members and to provide PwDs
an equal opportunity to actively
engage and benefit from banking
products and services
This year Helm Consulting con-
ducted two Disability Equal-
ity Training (DET) sessions to
30 ALEXBANK front-liner em-
ployees This training is a dy-
namic focused and interactive
group work approach designed
to change attitudes towards
the greater inclusion of PwDs
Disability equality training conducted by ALEXBANK and Helm Consulting
throughout mainstream employment and services It is also designed to introduce participants to the real
issues and discrimination facing all People with Disabilities with the aim of changing their overall behav-
iors policies and practices
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
34 39
ALEXBANK X ENACTUS A PARTNERSHIP FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Financial inclusion is at the center of developmental agendas across the world In Egypt establishing a
connection between marginalized communities and financial institutions is equally placed at the forefront
of national discussions In alignment with the Central Bank of Egypt the CSR amp Sustainable Development
Office has been working towards promoting financial inclusion across the country and among youth in par-
ticular through various means
In 2020 ALEXBANK embarked on a partnership with ENACTUS Egypt a nonprofit organization working to
empower university students to realize their capabilities Through this partnership ALEXBANK is able to
further develop its commitment to financial inclusion by providing a network of 5000-7000 Egyptian youth
in 58 universities with support Moreover the partnership will enable university students to develop innova-
tive solutions to financially include marginalized communities and contribute to society on a much greater
scale with an expected indirect impact of 100000 ndash 130000 marginalized Egyptians
The partnership began with an orientation for participants as well as a financial inclusion awareness ses-
sion arranged by ALEXBANK The orientation was managed by ENACTUS and has built strong foundations
amongst the students for their common goal of finding innovative solutions to financial inclusion In July
2020 35 universities out of the 58 will be chosen to showcase their solutions through an online platform
(due to COVID-19) presenting top innovation projects designed by the university students from 35 universi-
ties across Egypt Alongside public recognition ALEXBANK will make donations towards the realization of
these recognized solutions
ALEXBANKrsquos partnership with ENACTUS is one of many steps being undertaken to promote financial inclu-
sion in Egypt More than ever we are proud to share a platform with Egyptrsquos rising entrepreneurs philan-
thropists and creative minds as we work towards a collective goal of shared value creation
Students embrace their creativity to promote financial inclusion
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
35 39
WORLD WATER DAYWATER EFFICIENCY FOR WATER SECURITY
World Water Day is a global environmental event that takes place annually on March 22nd This United Na-
tions led event aims to shed light on the role of changing climates in triggering water insecurity an issue
that will have dire consequences for populations in North Africa particularly Egypt
In alignment with our efforts to promote resource management and World Water Dayrsquos agenda to promote
water security ALEXBANK has taken direct measures to promote water efficiency across its branches by
further developing its existing operations and reduce excess water consumption
The CSR amp Sustainable Development Office partnered with ALEXBANKrsquos Real Estate Department to intro-
duce water efficient tap nozzles with the purpose of reducing water waste associated with daily usage This
project is currently being piloted in our New Almaza and Benha branches with plans to roll out the taps
across our entire branch network over the coming year The new tap nozzles are estimated to increase water
efficiency by 20 Upon piloting the first phase of the water efficiency project with new tap nozzles we will
continue to explore and further enhance procedures to promote responsible water consumption
On World Water Day ALEXBANK redirected its community members to the Misr El Kheir Foundation Water
Efficiency Project on LinkedIn Misr El Kheir is working towards ensuring water is accessible to all Egyptians
highlighting its role in staving hygiene related diseases as well as promoting lifesaving habits during the era
of COVID-19
Water is a scarce resource that remains integral to community development At ALEXBANK we remain com-
mitted to enhancing our operations to reflect the growing needs of the communities we operate in as well
as growing a sustainable business model
Water efficiency is crucial to ensuring Egyptians are able to prevent COVID-19 and hygiene related diseases
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
36 39
On April 22nd Earth Day celebrated its 50th year as the worldrsquos largest environmental movement Under the
umbrella theme of ldquoClimate Actionrdquo the Earth Day Network urged global communities to stay home and use
their voices online to revive the conversation surrounding environmental activism
In alignment with our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Group as well as Egypt Vision 2030 ALEXBANK utilized
its online platform LinkedIn to shed light on the historic decline in global carbon emissions as a result of
humans reducing harmful activity over the course of one month of quarantining While the main purpose
behind the post was to highlight the role of environmental welfare in reducing the rise and spread of deadly
diseases it also aimed to empower and highlight the role of individuals to recognize their impact as part of a
larger global movement
While we may have celebrated Earth Day differently this year we encourage all members of our community
to embrace the power they yield in creating a healthy environment and in turn a healthier world ALEXBANK
will continue to seek enhancements to its own environmental policies to reduce its impact on the planet and
in turn limit its influence on environment related health hazards such as the coronavirus
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF EARTH DAY
In two short months social distancing measures have prompted positive environmental change
Rare migratory birds make their way back to the Red Sea Governorate in Egypt due to limited human disturbances associated with overcrowded beaches (Ministry of Environment 2020)
Reduced industrial activities have contributed to a 2 global decline in nitrogen dioxide emissions (Stanford 2020)
A hole in the Ozone Layer is repairing itself at a rate that will prompt full atmospheric recovery by 2030 protecting us from harmful ultraviolet rays (NASA 2020)
The ldquoSea Ice Anomalyrdquo suggests that for the first time since 1981 sea ice levels are more concentrated than average during the spring which helps moder-ate global climate (ECMWF 2020)
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
37 39
ENVIRONMENTAL amp SOCIAL RISK TRAINING WITHIN ALEXBANK
ALEXBANKrsquos Guidelines for the Implementation of Equator Principles in the Management of Environmen-
tal amp Social Risks andor Impacts When Granting Loans (ldquoGuidelinesrdquo) were approved in 2019 to assess and
manage EampS risks and impacts in respect to relevant financing operations
The objective of the Guidelines is to ensure that ALEXBANK is adopting ndashwhere applicablendash a set of prin-
ciples and processes regarding the approval of and reporting on credit transactions falling under Equator
Principles (ldquoEPsrdquo) The EPs are a risk management framework adopted by financial institutions for identify-
ing assessing and managing the environmental and social risks when financing large infrastructure and
industrial projects Such framework primarily aims at providing a minimum standard for the due diligence
required as support for a responsible risk decision-making
By the end of 2019 the Social Performance amp Reporting Unit under the CSR amp Sustainable Development Of-
fice had conducted two training sessions to introduce the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo to credit analysts and relationship
managers The sessions also addressed industry specific Environmental amp Social Risks The attendees con-
sisted of four Risk Analysts seven Relationship Managers and the Head of Loan Investigation Office and
Head of Corporate and Medium Enterprises Documentation Unit who would be responsible for cascading
this training to their colleagues
During the first half of 2020 further training sessions have been conducted to twenty-six Risk Analysts
three Loan Investigation Officers and one Relationship Manager These sessions are currently being con-
ducted online due to COVID-19 and will continue until the end of the year Furthermore all analysts and
relationship managers within the functions listed (Credit Administration Credit Analysis amp Underwriting
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Investment Banking) are expected to attend quarterly meetings
for follow up and monitoring sessions
The training material provides a detailed description of the ldquoGuidelinesrdquo the Equator Principles as well as
sector-specific environmental and social risks that are important within the ALEXBANK portfolio
To know more about the Equator Principles please visit httpsequator-principlescom
Mitigating the environmental and social risks associated with financing activities
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
38 39
RULES FOR DONATIONS IN ALEXBANK AN ANCHORED APPROACH TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development represents a topic of high materiality to ALEXBANK in terms of business strategy
and the communities it operates in In this regard ALEXBANK being a pioneer in the field of Corporate Social
Responsibility in Egypt guided by the CSR amp Sustainable Development Strategy relies largely on donations
to maintain its commitment to supporting Egyptrsquos marginalized communities
In alignment with parent company Intesa Sanpaolo Grouprsquos ldquoRules for Donations in the International
Subsidiary Banksrdquo the Rules were acknowledged by ALEXBANKrsquos Board of Directors in December 2019
Without compromising the objective of the international Rules the guidelines were subject to localization
to generate an enhanced response within Egyptrsquos national context More importantly its localization
guarantees our regulatory framework is considered while following international standards and procedures
The ldquoRulesrdquo make sure we remain accountable and transparent fair and charitable The localized version
was later approved by the Board of Directors in February 2020
Introducing clear eligibility criteria for both entities and potential projects in addition to stringent reporting
and monitoring of community contributions the Rules for donations will allow for an improved engagement
with the community urgent needs and long-term community investment via the cooperation with nonprofit
organizations Moreover it will reduce any potential corruption risk associated with the matter of donations
The process for a steady donation workflow has been set in place in coordination with all concerned
stakeholders ensuring the transparent management and implementation of the Rules within ALEXBANK
With a secure procedure in place ALEXBANK will continue lending its support to communities in need
through an effective network
ALEXBANK extends its support to the communities it operates in
Photo by Ahmed Hayman
39 39
39 39